Hed 3-spoke / rough bearings

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by tsai
friends-

i have been using a Hed 3-spoke as my rear race wheel, alternating with a Zipp 404 rear. i like the Hed, and suspect it is a little bit faster in windy conditions, but the bearing runs quite roughly.

has anyone else experienced this problem with a relatively new Hed?

has anyone serviced the Hed bearing, or swapped it out (and replaced it with what?)

ok, i'll admit i know nothing of HED wheels.

is this a cartridge bearing hub or loose balls?

also, how much mileage is on the wheel ("relatively new" can mean anything) and has the roughness existed from the start or is it a new condition?

I have the hed alps, and raced them about 15 times this past season. no trouble with the hubs/bearings. the rear h3 has a sealed bearing on the non-drive side and loose bearings on the drive side (so says the website).

contact their customer service. they've always been very helpful.

http://www.hedcycling.com/main.htm

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by drewski
ok, i'll admit i know nothing of HED wheels.

is this a cartridge bearing hub or loose balls?

also, how much mileage is on the wheel ("relatively new" can mean anything) and has the roughness existed from the start or is it a new condition?

* * *

hello drewski-

H3 rear bearings are sealed on non-drive side, loose on drive side (i think). mileage is low (less than 300 miles, in clean triathlon conditions only). i only noticed the roughness recently, when i was spinning the wheel with the axle in my hands, so this is a relatively new condition. feels like grit catching.

i live in shanghai. parts are hard to get, with poor support from local bike shops - and i dont have much experience servicing/overhauling bearings.

i'll try customer support - but would appreciate any other input you might have.

C.

The bearings are probably fine. I'd recommend trying to adjust the fittings that secure the axel to the bearings (not exactly sure what they are called). I have Hed3's on my track bike and have had this problem. Easy to fix.